Press Releases - 09-2019 Archive

ERIE – The Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) will announce the winners of the 2019 Patrick R. Locco Scholarship Awards during the sixth annual Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) celebration at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, October 9, in the Ballroom of the Bayfront Convention Center, 1 Sassafras Pier. All media are invited to attend.

“These students represent the best and brightest in vocational-technical education,” said Association President John Krahe. “We are thrilled to recognize their accomplishments and also assist them financially with the training and education that will be needed to pursue their future careers.”

2019 nominees include: Cody Nikolai, Deviaughn Hansbrew, Jason Campbell, Abdulah Sadeik and Emma Johnson from Erie High School; Caleb Kafferlin, Drake McCray, Hannah Brewer, Ryan Weidner and Kadyn Grow from Corry Area Career Technical Center; Adrik Mattis, August Lasko, Jarrett Huber, Sean Wheelock and Kiersten Roncaglione from Crawford County Career and Technical Center; Aden Mitchell, Dakota Mitchell, Dan Swanson, Elaina Lawson and Salwa Salem from Erie County Technical School; and, Brayden Smiley, Cole Simpson, Colin Grove, Hunter Garland and Molly Rimko from Mercer County Career Center.

The Locco Awards, which are named in honor of the late Association Vice President Patrick R. Locco, a strong advocate of vocational education, were created in 1972 (then known as the Golden Watch Awards) with the sole purpose to recognize outstanding high school students who distinguish themselves in the pursuit of technical and academic excellence. To be considered for this prestigious honor, students must apply and be nominated by a teacher. Each school then narrows the nominees to their top candidates. Students are then interviewed by local businesspeople who ultimately choose the winners.

Manufacturing Day is an annual event, observed nationally, designed to highlight the importance of manufacturing to the economy and draw attention to the many rewarding jobs available in manufacturing fields. The goal of Manufacturing Day is to introduce as many people as possible to the important role played by manufacturing through open houses, tours, workshops and other events.

In 2014, the MBA hosted the premiere of the “American Made Movie” at its Conference Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 2015, approximately 500 manufacturers and more than 1,500 area students, educators, parents, and business and community leaders attended the MFG Day celebration at the Bayfront Convention Center — one of the largest Manufacturing Day celebrations in the country. Today, the event has grown to over 2,000 participants and is marking its sixth anniversary celebration in 2019.

From 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Wednesday, October 9, the Bayfront Convention Center will be converted into a spectacular display and celebration of American manufacturing and technology, including interactive exhibits and displays, as well as educational breakout sessions. More than 2,000 students, educators and community leaders from the region are expected to attend.

MFG Day is presented by the MBA, along with partners the Northwest Pennsylvania National Tooling and Machining Association, Career Street, along with sponsors Ridg-U-Rak, Inc., UPMC Health Plan, Logistics Plus, MacDonald Illig Attorneys, American Turned Products, Eriez Magnetics, Widget Financial, Ellwood National Forge, Welders Supply, Penn State Behrend, National Fuel, Curtze Food Service, Channellock, Northern Pennsylvania Regional College, McInnes Rolled Rings, Reddog, PHB, Inc., Eastern Alliance, Matric, Plastikos and Micro Mold, the Erie Regional Chamber of Commerce, Edinboro University, Erie Strayer, AirBorn, Times Publishing Company, Z102.3, Jet24, Fox 66 and YourErie.com.

For more information, visit www.mbausa.org.

PITTSBURGH – An evening of conversations, including an exclusive business issues forum bringing together businesses that employ thousands of workers in the region with policy makers, will culminate with a networking event for business leaders and elected officials on Thursday, September 26 at the Rivers Club in downtown Pittsburgh. The “Evening to Connect” is hosted by the Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA), SMC Business Councils (SMC) and the Pittsburgh Business Exchange (PBX).

To kickstart the event, the forum “What Keeps You Up at Night” will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. and includes small, roundtable discussions between business leaders and select lawmakers. Following that, a lawmaker panel will discuss policy related issues impacting the business community within Pennsylvania. The newly elected freshmen lawmakers will participate in both the panel and small table discussions. “They need to hear from businesses as much as businesses need to hear from them,” said Eileen Anderson, director of Government Relations for SMC. Seating is limited.

The panel will be moderated by Lenny McAllister, a director for the Commonwealth Foundation, a statewide, nonpartisan policy think tank.
A networking reception, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., bringing together business leaders with elected officials and representatives will take place after the forum and panel discussion. Attendees are encouraged to meet and mingle with colleagues and legislators while enjoying food, cocktails and camaraderie.

“Evening to Connect” is sponsored by Bognar and Company,, Inc., the Commonwealth Foundation, Guy Chemical Company, Inc., Penn United Technologies, Inc., Duncan Financial Group, Grossman, Yanak & Ford, LLP, CORE Environmental Services, Inc., O’Donnell Consulting Engineers, Inc., and Pinnacle Group, LLC. The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA, North Side/North Shore Chamber of Commerce and Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber helped promote the evening.

For more information, visit www.eveningtoconnect.com.

ERIE — Joe Everson, an artist, vocalist, musician and Internet sensation, will perform at the Manufacturer & Business Association’s 114th Annual Event on Wednesday evening, October 9, at the Bayfront Convention Center. All media are invited to attend.

Everson, whose appearance is sponsored by National Fuel, will sing “God Bless the USA” while painting a live-action, patriotic artwork before more than 1,000 guests at the Annual Event, the region’s premier business networking event. The program begins at 5 p.m.

With his “Bob Ross meets Frank Sinatra” style, the self-described Anthem Artist has traveled the country performing at professional sports events and private gatherings, and for Fortune 500 companies alike.

“We are very much looking forward to Mr. Everson’s performance,” says Association President and CEO John Krahe. “The combination of his voice and his artistry is so powerful, and the final product is a true masterpiece. We can’t wait for our members to see what he has in store for us.”

Everson gained notoriety back in 2016 at a Toledo Walleye game in Ohio. At that time, Everson sang the National Anthem while painting the iconic 1945 Iwo Jima photograph of soldiers raising the American flag. A video of the performance posted to social media went viral, which prompted a call from a producer at Fox & Friends.

ERIE – Ralph Pontillo, executive director of Roar on the Shore®, a longtime champion for small business and manufacturing, and former president and chief executive officer of the Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA), passed away unexpectedly on Saturday evening, September 7, in Florida where he resides. He was 64.“Ralph was larger than life, a true visionary, a respected leader and a loyal friend, and we are all deeply saddened and shocked by his sudden passing,” said John Krahe, president and CEO of the Manufacturer & Business Association. “Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife Dana, his daughters Nicole, Amy and Anne, his three grandchildren, and all of his extended family and friends at this most difficult time.”

The MBA is a professional employers’ organization that represents more than 3,000 member companies in the tri-state region. Pontillo joined the Association in 1987 as manager of member services and was responsible for marketing and communications. He was appointed president on April 1, 1990 until his retirement in 2017.

Over three decades, Pontillo was instrumental in the Association’s facility relocation to its present headquarters and construction of its state-of-the-art Conference Center at 2171 West 38th Street in Erie. The project helped expand many of the Association’s programs and services – HR, insurance, government affairs, training, among others – and enabled the Association to become one of the largest regional employers’ associations of its kind in the United States.

In addition to advocating for the business community, Pontillo left an indelible mark on the Erie community at large. He is credited with spearheading one of the Association’s most visible community outreach programs, the annual Roar on the Shore® charitable motorcycle rally. Over the past 13 years, the rally has generated nearly $1 million for local charities while providing an annual economic boost of more than $25 million thanks to its more than 100,000 visitors each year.“Ralph accomplished so many incredible things during his lifetime and his passing leaves a huge hole in our community, the MBA and Roar®, but his greatest legacy was his family,” said Krahe. “He was a true family man and a devoted husband, father and grandfather. We ask everyone to respect their privacy as they grieve.”

Funeral arrangements are not yet available.